A proclamation set forth by the kings majesty, with the advise of his most honourable privy counsel▪ declaring his grace's determination, concerning the amendment of his highness coin, and also to admonish such of his subjects, as be engrossers of Fermes, victuals and other things. etc. and the inhauncers of all prices of the same, and for the amendment of their greedy and insatiable doings, etc. the xj day of May in the .v. year of his most prosperous reign.  
THe kings most excellent Majesty, having of late season understanding and knowledge, by diverse and sundry consultations of the Lords, and others of his privy counsel, how necessary and beneficial, it should be for the wealth of his hole Realm, to have his Coin reduced to fineness▪ which hath been made base from the beginning of the latter Wars in the time of his majesties father, of most famous memory, and so remained by continuance of the like: hath had a great, godly, and earnest desire, daily increasing in his majesties most noble and godly heart, to begin and attempt some towardness, to so great a benefit, and so to proceed and achieve, with asmuch his own majesties loss therein as possible were fit for him to sustain. Wherefore, of a most godly mind towards his people, and a most fervent desire, to begin to do this notable great benefit, for the which all good subjects, hath of late, as it were with groanings longed, his Majesty, with the advise of his counsel, who, with great reasons, were persuaded to advise his majesty thereto, caused his determination, to be published by a proclamation bearing date▪ the last day of April last, that from the last day of August next following, the shilling coined and set forth by his majesty, should be current for. ix. d. sterf. and no more, and the groat for. three d. as further appeareth by the same proclamation, without the which means, his majesty could never possible attempt or come near to set forth and make the Coin of fine silver according to his good desire, and as in deed ordinarily, his majesty from the beginning of the consultation hath meant, and doth certainly mean. Yet nevertheless, such is the malice and naughty nature of a certain kind of people, that live only for themselves, & as it seemeth by their doings, neither respect God, King, the surety of his majesties Crown, nor any other Christian creature, but going about to eat and devour, aswell thestate of Nobility▪ as the lower sort, being Serving men, Artificers, handicrafts, poor Husbondemen, labourers and such like, and further maliciously overwharting and hindering all good purposes of the kings majesty, and his counsel, travailing to do to the common wealth good, and especially, when they perceive any thing purposed, to amend the unreasonable prices of victual, and such necessary things for men's sustenance, that as it is come to his majesties knowledge, and his counsel, by the information of diverse credible persons from sundry parts of this his Realm, since the aforesaid proclamation was published, which was the very ordinary and necessary beginning of a manifest amendment of the coin, the prices of victuals, Wares & such like things, be purposely enhanced beyond all expectation, and the gracious meaning of the kings Majesty, and his counsel utterly perverted, and sinisterly abused, the same most manifestly coming of the devilish▪ malice, and slight of the foresaid kind of naughty people, injurious to the whole common wealth: which things considered, his Majesty having the sword not in vain committed to him of God, and with the same as a minister of the almighty, the very indignation and plagues from heaven to fall where his sword shall strike, cannot, ne may not, without th'offence of God, se and suffer such lewd persons as wilfully be the causers hereof remain unpunished to their own dampnations, and the destruction of others. Wherefore his Majesty, meaning not in ire▪ or passion, to execute his indignation, but justly and with good ground, hath first by the advise of his counsel, thought meet to admonish all kind of people in their degrees, and to let them clearly understand his pleasure and determination in this behalf, so as whosoever shall offend, the same shall not fail of sharp and due punishment for their offences.  
And therefore first of all, to all such, as either wilfully or ignorantly, hath mistaken his Majesty's good meaning upon the former proclamation, for the abasing of money, his Majesty declareth his good and gracious meaning, and determinate purpose, by the advise of his counsel, to be thereby to amend his coin, & to reduce it to fineness of silver, although the same shallbe most of all, without all comparison to his majesty's loss and detriment, and yet to the benefit of his subjects & the honour of the realm. And next to such farmers▪ Graziers, and Sheep Masters, which by unreasonable and fraudulent engrossing of Fermes, Graine, Victual, aswell Butter and Cheese, as other grosser things, as Wool and such like, Wood, Cole, and other things pertaining to the daily sustenance of man, and enhaunsing the prices of the same, and by manifest decaying of towns and tillage, excessive increasing of sheep, contrary to divers good laws and statutes of this realm provided for these caces, not unknown to the offenders therein Which kind of persons in deed his majesty and his counsel judgeth to be the principal occasions of these almost uncausable dearthes'. His majesty pronounceth & threateneth, that if they furthewth cease not their greedy, unlawful, and unnatural practises, coloured with crafts and subtleties to avoid and deceive the meaning of the laws and all honesty, they shall suffer with his extreme indignation the justice of his laws to the uttermost, to the terror of all such as being thus often gently admonished have never amended.  
Thus much doth his majesty in this behalf, partly of clemency of nature, admonish, that would have no cause to exercise extremity: partly (if the naughtiness of his subject, shall give him cause) yet by this admonition the punishment shallbe more just and necessary. And although his majesty considereth how convenient it is for his office, having indifferent charge and care over all manner his subjects, not only to reprehend the faults of Offenders, but also to punish them severely, yet because of late years, the lower sort of people, lacking in deed in that part, all manner of reason, and being like to those sick madmen that either will have no Physic, or else will be their own Physicians, have presumptuously taken upon them th'office of his majesty, both in reprehending of their superiors, and attempting redress of things after their own fantasies, with force, and contrary to the due obedience of good Subjects towards god and man. Therefore also his majesty, likewise pronounceth and declareth unto them, and every of them, that if they shall exceed their duties either in reprehending or attempting any manner of remedy or redress, otherwise then shall stand with the laws and order of the realm: His Majesty will not fail but minister unto them sharp terror of his sword and Laws, which, as they be well provided of late for such offenders, so shall they not lack diligent and due execution.  
God save the King   

RICHARDUS GRAFTON typographus Regius excudebat▪ Mense Maij. A. M. D. LI.   

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